Li River
4.5
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
734 reviews
Excellent
481
Very good
187
Average
44
Poor
12
Terrible
10
Angie P
Singapore, Singapore97 contributions
Dec 2023 • Family
The cruise down the river was beautiful, meandered through the river lined with mountains. Air in the winter was crisp, and it was an enjoyment standing on the upper deck warming up in the heat of the sun. An experience that is a must have.
Written December 7, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Daniel A
Beijing, China33,057 contributions
Jun 2023 • Family
We set out on a 3–4-hour river cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo. I thought at first my children were going to spoil it and be uncomfortable sitting that long. However, the boat was very large and walking/running around was okay and so we enjoyed the trip immensely. We’ve been on many river trips before but the beauty of the landscape, scenery, backdrops etc… were too unreal. The lunch aboard the boat was decent and my kids were able to eat some of it, but the reviews I read about bringing snacks for them greatly helped. You won’t forget your trip along the Li River as it is undeniably breathtaking!
Written August 6, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Emmanuelle R
2 contributions
May 2021
We spent five days in Yangshuo and wanted to explore the area. Amy was recommended to me by friends in China as a great hiking guide to tour Yangshuo, the river Li, its surrounding villages and beautiful mountains. She speaks English and is a fun and charming lady from Yangshuo. We had a great day out walking, took great pictures, and managed to avoid the crowds thanks to Amy's local knowledge. Her email is yangshuolianfengamy@aliyun.com and her wechat is linfengamy - I highly recommend a hike with Amy.
Written May 12, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mrbrentharris
Hanoi, Vietnam435 contributions
Dec 2020
This is some of most beautiful scenery I have seen... From my own personal experice- I might call this "China's Grand Canyon." If you love the mountains, hills scenery, you will enjoy this place!
Written December 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lajoux
East Grinstead, UK100 contributions
Nov 2019
One of the highlights on a month long tour. The cruise took six hours - the scenery was superb from start to finish.
Written December 30, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
eatsleeprepeatblog
Shenzhen, China693 contributions
Dec 2019 • Couples
Some of the reviews are a bit hit and miss but we loved this relaxing cruise. We booked the 4* VIP with Li River Cruises direct and got 20% off due to their current promotion. The price included a pick up from our Guilin hotel and the driver arrived on time, collected our tickets and showed us through to the waiting area. This has toilets, small shop and security check point. We had our backpacks as we were staying in Yangshuo and when we boarded we stored them at our seats.
The VIP seats were lovely, big comfortable leather chairs with a table and very spacious. We were immediately served tea and a briefing was given in English and Chinese. The VIP section has doors leading to the front of the boat accessed by the 20 people, you can also go onto the roof. There were 3 toilets, one of which was western and we found them to be clean. Lunch buffet was average, there’s room for improvement there. They also come around with drinks to buy and other snacks.
The boat meandered along the river with stunning scenery. They pointed out 4 or 5 significant stops but there was no annoying speaker.
When we docked we went left at the top of the steps and walked under the covered path for about 5minutes. This took us along the river to west street and the town. There are lots of taxis/vendors at the dock and it’s a bit hassley but not aggressive.
We thoroughly enjoyed this relaxing trip which lasted just over 4hrs.
Tip: book the VIP on 4* Li River. The seating is in 2’s big leather chairs. The lower seating is on a 2 or 3 seater sofa.
The VIP seats were lovely, big comfortable leather chairs with a table and very spacious. We were immediately served tea and a briefing was given in English and Chinese. The VIP section has doors leading to the front of the boat accessed by the 20 people, you can also go onto the roof. There were 3 toilets, one of which was western and we found them to be clean. Lunch buffet was average, there’s room for improvement there. They also come around with drinks to buy and other snacks.
The boat meandered along the river with stunning scenery. They pointed out 4 or 5 significant stops but there was no annoying speaker.
When we docked we went left at the top of the steps and walked under the covered path for about 5minutes. This took us along the river to west street and the town. There are lots of taxis/vendors at the dock and it’s a bit hassley but not aggressive.
We thoroughly enjoyed this relaxing trip which lasted just over 4hrs.
Tip: book the VIP on 4* Li River. The seating is in 2’s big leather chairs. The lower seating is on a 2 or 3 seater sofa.
Written December 29, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mosto
Hong Kong, China3,006 contributions
Dec 2019 • Couples
We took the cruise (slightly more than 4 hours) and paid for premium seats to enjoy the scenic trip and also as a form of transportation from Guilin to Yangshuo. A buffet lunch is included (I think the food in the buffet is really so so) and we ordered 2 additional paid dishes and got upgraded to the front seats of the upper deck which was really good. We went up to the upper deck for views and photo taking. There’s Chinese and English announcements to prompt you to go out for prime scenes. You will find one or two people asking whether you want your photos to be taken by them (I think it’s part of the boat’s crew). You pay for them and pick up the photos later at the pier. As it is a 4.5-hour trip, the toilets can get very dirty closer to the end of the trip. I suggest two toilet breaks for the trip - both to be taken before lunch is served. The views are certainly beautiful and majestic. I certainly recommend the cruise. The pier at Guilin has quite a few steps which can be slippery if it rains. So be careful. Best travel light - I only had a backpack.
Written December 27, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kim Sydney Australia
Sydney, Australia11 contributions
Dec 2019
Incredible Li River - beautiful experience on our day cruise through the panoramic villages and dramatic limestone Karst mountains. Highly recommend Odynovo Travel Agency and William our tour guide.
Written December 16, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Monica G
Adelaide, Australia86 contributions
Oct 2019
We paid extra for premium seats on the 4.5 star boat offered by Li River Cruises. The disappointing aspect for us was that they sit three people across each seat and hence neither my partner nor I had a window seat. We question how this can occur when you have paid a premium. While our boat was nice enough, we did not detect a lot of difference between it and the (many) boats that were around us on the river and other boats did not seem any more crowded. The food on our cruise was ok but just ok. The cruise itself was nice enough but we were left a bit underwhelmed against what we had paid for it.
Written December 1, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
nr1379
London, UK66 contributions
Apr 2019
Beautiful scenery of the karst hills. We were on the lower deck of a boat with very large comfortable seats around a table. We went up to the open upper deck for the views and spent most of the time standing there for the beautiful scenery on either side. We took the customary photo holding a 20yuan note! Yangshuo was a very beautiful town. We enjoyed walking along Yangshuo west street, Yangshuo park and climbing up to the top of a hill with the entrance at the park for views of Yangshuo
Written November 20, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
God_of_Small_Things7
United States1,510 contributions
Is it possible to take a bamboo raft from Xingping till 9 Horse Mountain upstream, then come back down to Xingping. Is this route feasible (I know the typical route is in the opposite direction). Where can I find this raft, and how much should I expect to pay for 1 hour of rafting maybe?
Fandy A
Jakarta, Indonesia65 contributions
There are various agents selling tickets for Li River cruises at various prices. The hotel guys tend to quote a considerable mark ups. What is the price being paid for a 4 star boat based on travellers' experience, including transport from Guilin downtown to the pier? Thanks a lot
Kim B
Newnan, GA1,021 contributions
I was on a tour, but I can tell you all the ships were the same and they all left at the same time. Ours included a decent lunch - but not great. I am not sure how much a ride to and from the ports would be. The actual cruises - there should be none or little different in prices. I think it would be a good idea to book the to and from with the same company that you pay for the cruise. I was with China spree - perhaps they could advise you.
Mia M
Rome, Italy49 contributions
I saw you mentioned that you took a driver, does it mean you drove by? because we don't know we can make it to the 9 am cruise, are there other time options or is it srictly just in the morning?
Karen D
Portmellon, UK14 contributions
Does this trip operate in the opposite direction too, from Yangshuo to Guilin? We will not arrive in Guilin in time to catch it from Guilin but hoped we could do the return trip instead.
Ivi Angioni
United Kingdom27 contributions
Hello, unfortunately normally the trip is operated just towards Yangshuo, for depth reasons. There are little boats that provide shorter portions of the trip in both directions, but, in such cases you should reach the villages where to pick the boats/rafts up. But of course the whole cruise itself, is worth, and is normally much appreciated from most of the visitors, for the calm of the trip, no matter how busy it can be, for the beauty of the scenery and water buffalos along some traits of the Li River and for the experience of seeing all the activieties of the local fishermen and vendors along the trip.
ashley1734
Long Beach, CA262 contributions
Do you know how you booked this cruise with Frank?
Lesley L
George Town, Malaysia98 contributions
I went through China Highlights Tours. They are very professional. Hope this helps? Enjoy China!
leslie f
New York City, NY311 contributions
May 10: we arrive at airport 21:50 so we won't have time to enjoy any hotel.
May 11: cruise starts at 9:30 at Zhujiang pier therefore we would like a clean hotel with private bathroom (we're age 76 & 80) NEAR THE PIER.
I've found hotels but they are 1 hour from the pier. We will be exhausted and like to sleep until 8am, leave hotel at 9am and get to pier by 9:30. What hotels or guest houses can you recommend? (FYI: we did the cruise in 2011 and because the scenery is so gorgeous we want to repeat it.)
Leslie in NYC
leslie f
New York City, NY311 contributions
Somewhat urgent. Please help.
We're scheduled to cruise on Li River starting at Zhujiang pier (address is East of 091 county road, Lingchuan, Guilin) per our travel agent.
We've been warned food isn't good and it wasnt 10 years ago either (same agent) although the fresh fish they caught and offered us was wonderful and fun to watch but who cares because the scenery is splendid and we stayed up on deck the entire trip.
Questions:
1. Is Zhujiang pier just fine to start the cruise? If not which pier is better? Which boat line?
2. We arrive at airport only at 9:50pm on May 10, so I would like to stay in a hotel near the pier. That way we don't have to get up before 7am on May 11, to make it to the 9:30am cruise. What hotel(s) can you recommend near the Zhujiang pier? Right now we are booked at Aroma Tea House and Shangri-La Hotel only because we couldn't get the visa without confirmations and I couldn't get an electronic confirmation immediately from Aroma. I'll cancel one or both if we can get a hotel closer to the Zhujiang pier.
Thanks so much for any advice you can offer. We leave soon (May 8) and I have many details to finish.
Leslie in NYC
Hi Nicole, we are about to go to China and one of our thing to do is Li River cruise or rafting. I would like to ask you how did you get there (taxi?) and if you bought the ticket in advance (or there is possibility to buy it there). Thanks.
KiwiStevefromSW15
London, UK106 contributions
The Li River is not to be missed. It’s a massive operation. Stay in Guilin as you like. They run a series of Bus pickups from your hotel to the Pier (so no stress there) you’ll get a ticket for the cruise... and stand outside with market stalls etc for any food and drink requirements.
Then you so through a mini customs of scanners. No real problems with drinks n bits. Then it’s outside to a few more market stalls and wait for your boat.. the ticket tells you the exact pier and boat number... there are literally 100 big boats ( 300-500 seaters cruising the river) food onboard was ok I think ours was 4*, but the scenery was out of this world.
It’s a one way trip. So we chilled in the town for a stroll and dinner and then took a couple of cabs back to Gilin.
I’m sure you could buy tickets at the Pier it’s a massive operation.
Madhumitha Latha Sivaraman
6 contributions
Hello can someone tell me what is the price of a 4 star cruise? I am getting different rates from various hotels and agencies? How much is the actual cost?
Lesley L
George Town, Malaysia98 contributions
My trip was part of a bigger 2 day package, so I cannot give an exact price. I would recommend booking through China Highlights.
MikeLinda23
Llandudno, UK434 contributions
Thanks for the review, very helpful, as we intend to go on the cruise in late March. Some questions please...
which pier/wharf did you catch the boat from?
how far in advance did you buy your cruise tickets? did you get the idea that everybody can just turn up and buy, rather than do it all in advance?
was there an English speaking guide available on the boat?
could you buy alcohol on board(just beer!)
In Yangshao, is West St /rest of town a short walk from the landing spot?
how much was the taxi from town to the bus station?
any other tips? any problem for none Mandarin speakers? Many thanks Mike
michaelfitzg
Toronto205 contributions
If you want to be ensured of a particular day, then purchase your tickets online. Don't buy them at the rail or bus station as they will cost more, get them at your hotel. Don't worry about the pier as you will get picked up at your hotel and then driven to the piers as they are a bit of a hike outside the town. The only thing that we saw was beer but you could probably get bijou ( a chinese wine that is closer to liquor) on the boats. Yanghsuo is a pretty small town right beside the piers and it is easy to walk around. Taxis are pretty cheap in China and start at 10 RMB for the ride and getting anywhere in Guilin or Yangshou should not cost anymore than 40-50 RMB. Make sure that you get the driver to use the meter or you could get ripped off. English is limited to non existent so get a chinese translator like Pleco and practise your pantomime skill. I've lived in China for three years and my Chinese skills are virtually non existant and I rely on translation programs. Have a good trip!!
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Frequently Asked Questions about Li River
- According to Tripadvisor travelers, these are the best ways to experience Li River:
- Full/Half-day Xingping Photographic Sunset tour with the Fisherman (From ₱6,107.72)
- 1 Day Li River Cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo with Private Guide & Driver (From ₱12,159.91)
- Guilin in One Day: Day Trip from Shanghai by Air (From ₱52,748.47)
- 2-Day Small-Group Biking Adventure from Guilin to Yangshuo (From ₱20,729.59)
- Li River Cruise to Yangshuo Full-Day Private Tour from Guilin (From ₱11,104.94)